Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Henry goes to the Doctor

Okay, bad news first for ole' Henry:

After making the trip to the doggie opthamologist, we learned that Mr. H is not a candidate for eye surgery - therefore confirming that the little guy is and will be permanently blind for the remainder of his life (which is at least 32 more years, I'm sure.) His impaired vision shouldn't affect his lifespan, as long as we continue to medicate his eyes and keep them lubricated throughout the day. This is to reduce inflammation, which can cause Glaucoma, which could cause Hendo to lose an eye (or two).

Per the opthamologist, he's to get 3 different drops/ointments a day, 15 minutes a part, 2 -3 times a day in each eye. In addition, when we have the opportunity, we're supposed to give him a drop or two of wetting solution...just to keep his eyes from drying out. I told Johnny that we should add "Eye Ointment Administerer" to my business cards. Henry's SO good about letting me put the drops in, though...I couldn't ask for a better patient.

The good news? The opthamologist we saw was fabulous, and he's definitely the right guy to treat our little Henry. While I've never underestimated the value of seeing a specialist for my own health, I never realized how great it would be to see a specialized doctor for Henry. While we weren't dissatisfied with the care we received from our regular vet, it's obvious that the opthamologist is better equipped to educate us on Henry's condition. We now know so much more about Henry's situation and what we can expect moving forward - what a relief to get some concrete answers.

And that's why I'm so happy with my rheumatologist - he understands Lupus, knows what to expect and how to treat it. Even if it's a fever, a sore throat, or a bad flu, my rheumatologist is able to piece together what is Lupus related and what isn't - determinations that my primary care physician is never able to make. But that's okay - I don't mind going straight to the experts. And now Henry doesn't either.

This brings up an interesting question: Who is your primary Lupus doctor? A rheumatologist? A pulmonologist? Maybe it is your primary care physician, or perhaps your gynecologist. Let me know by casting your vote in the poll at the right. Look forward to the results!

3 comments:

Hey there Sara, I'm so sorry to hear about your sweet Henry. We have cats at our house..but I am sorry to say, they are not my true love. My daughter couldn't live without them though. As for my doctor...he is an internal med doctor who did his internship in Rhumetology at the Mayo Clinic. He is so stinkin smart. I just had my first checkup today after being on all my meds for a full four months and everything looks great! Had my eyes checked today too and so far so good, the Plaquenil isn't doing any damage. I am just so relieved to have found some answers to many years of questions! I'm not really crazy, I really haven't felt good. I couldn't convince myself of that cuz all the "other" doctors said nothing was wrong.Best of luck to you and your family and your sweet little pug!

BUY THE BOOK

Sara Gorman

In 2001, I was diagnosed with systemic lupus, at the age of 26. I had been married less than 6 weeks and was at a highpoint in my career in television production. While I fought to keep hold of the life I'd known - demanding, yet fulfilling career, busy social life, packed vacation schedule - after four years of running my body into the ground, I realized I was fighting life, not living it. Thus, I downshifted almost every aspect of my life. I let go of my career and made it my number one priority to get myself back in good health. I'm proud to say that I've reached my goal, but work each day to maintain that healthy lifestyle. despite lupus. My book details the steps it took to reach that goal. A native of Indiana and graduate of the University of Notre Dame, I reside in Alexandria, Virginia with my husband, two young daughters, and pug dog.